Washington vs Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance): Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Washington, DC and Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricWashington, DCNashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
Population670,587684,103
Median household income$101,722$71,328
Median home value$705,000$351,400
Median rent (/mo)$1,817$1,392

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.

Comparing Washington, DC and Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN comes down to what you value most. Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) has the lower median home value, and Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) has the lower median rent.

Washington has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to live in Washington or Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance)?
By median home value, Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) is the cheaper of the two ($351,400 vs $705,000). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, Washington or Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance)?
Median household income is $101,722 in Washington versus $71,328 in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), per the US Census Bureau.

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